Abstract

Background:

Seven-day triple therapy including omeprazole, clarithromycin and amoxicillin has become the treatment of choice for Helicobacter pylori infection. However, 7 days of classical quadruple therapy combining omeprazole, tetracycline, metronidazole and bismuth may be an alternative to triple therapy.

Per protocol and intention-to-treat cure rates were 86%[95% confidence interval (CI), 80–91%] and 77% (95% CI, 70–83%) for triple therapy, and 89% (95% CI, 82–93%) and 83% (95% CI, 76–88%) for quadruple therapy. No significant differences between the groups were found in the cure rates, compliance or side-effects.

Conclusion:

One-week triple and quadruple therapy show similar results when used as first-line eradication treatment.